Adjustable container



July 15, 1969 w. G. ANDERSON 3,

ADJUSTABLE CONTAINER Filed Jan. 15, 196'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q m a:

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SE/BOLD 8 WILLIAMS A TTOHWEYS July 15, 1969 w. G. ANDERSON ADJUSTABLEconmmma 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 15, 1967 INVENTOR. W/LBUR GLEN/VANDERSON 5y PEA/DLETO/V IVEUMAA/ SE/BOLD 8 W/LL/AMS AT TORNEYS UnitedStates Patent Ojiice 3,455,499 Patented July 15, 1969 US. Cl. 229-40 8Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A six sided box-like container theheight of which is adjusted by angular adjustment of the end panels withrespect to the top and bottom panels and having a pair of side panelswhich are higher than the end panels. The

side panels have several parallel fold lines to permit the folding of aselected length of their free end portions over the top panel andthereby lock the top panel in position relative to the bottom panel.

This invention relates to an adjustable container and, moreparticularly, to a container, the height of which can be varied toaccommodate articles or stacks of articles of varying heights. Thecontainer is particularly well suited for shipping a stack of phonographrecords where the number of records, and thus the height of the stack,will vary from time to time. It is to be understood, however, that thecontainer is suitable for shipping articles other than phonographrecords.

Companies engaged in the business of shipping records to customers insmall but varying quantities will quite often maintain an inventory ofboxes of varying heights so that the box may be selected according tothe height of the record stack being shipped. As an alternative, asingle large size box may be used and, when the box is filled to lessthan its capacity, a substantial quantity of inner packing may be usedin order to fill up the unused space in the box and prevent the recordsfrom moving around inside. Even when boxes of various heights areavailable, some excess inner packing must frequently be used to fill upspace, because from one size box to the next the heights will usuallyincrease more than the thickness of one or two relatively thin records.Excessive inner packing not only adds to the cost of the packagingoperation, it adds to the Weight of the container and thus to theshipping cost.

It is, therefore, one object of this invention to provide a containerwhich will accommodate articles such as record stacks of varying heightswithout requiring excessive inner packing.

It is another object of this invention to provide a container which maybe adjusted to accommodate articles or stacks of articles of varyingheights.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a container theheight of which may be varied, thereby eliminating the necessity formaintaining an inventory of containers of varying heights.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a neat,lightweight, variable size container which will eliminate the necessityfor excessive inner packing when filled to less than its capacity.

Other objects will be seen and a further understanding of the inventionmay be had by referring to the following description and claims taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention the container, whichis formed from a single blank of fiberboard or the like, comprises abottom panel, a pair of end panels hinged to the respective ends of thebottom panel, a pair of side panels hinged to the respective sides ofthe bottom panel, and a top panel hinged to the opposite free ends ofthe end panels. The top panel preferably consists of two overlapping topflaps. The configurations and dimensions of the top, bottom and endpanels are such that the end panels remain parallel and the top andbottom panels remain parallel through all positions of adjustment of thecontainer. The four hinge connections of the top and bottom panels tothe end panels are parallel, and the cross section of the container thusdefines a parallelogram. The height of the container, i.e., the distancebetween the top and bottom panels, may be varied by adjusting theangular disposition of the end panels with respect to the top and bottompanels. The side panels are substantially greater in height than the endpanels and each side panel has a plurality of fold lines spaced varyingdistances from and disposed parallel to the hinge connection with thebottom panel. In order to lock the top, bottom and end panels in thedesired position of angular adjustment, a maximum length of each of theside panels is folded over the top panel and may be there secured inplace by suitable means, such as an adhesive, a gummed tape or abinding.

With reference to the drawings;

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a blank which, when set up, will form acontainer embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a container constructed in accordancewith this invention showing the top, bottom and end panels in oneposition of adjustment, conditioning the container for maximum capacity;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the container showing the .top, bottomand end panels in another position of adjustment wherein the containerwill hold less than its maximum capacity;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the package illustrated in FIG. 2, takensubstantially along line 44 of that figure; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional elevational view of the package illustrated inFIG. 3, taken substantially along line 5-5 of that figure.

With further reference to the drawings, the container 10 is adapted tohold articles or stacks of articles 12 such as phonograph records, booksor any other articles or stacks of articles which vary in height andwhich would normally require an inventory of containers of varioussizes. The container 10 includes a bottom panel 14, a pair of end panels16 and 18, a top panel 20 and a pair of side panels 22 and 24. Top panel20 preferably consists of a pair of top flaps 20a and 20b.

The end panel 16 is hinged to one end of bottom panel 14 along arectilinear hinge line 26, and the end panel 18 is hinged to the otherend of bottom panel '14 along a rectilinear hinge line 28. Top flap 20ais hinged to end panel 18 along a rectilinear hinge line 30, and toppanel 20b is hinged to end panel 16 along a rectilinear hinge line 32.The hinge lines 26, 28, 30 and 32 are parallel to one another and remainso in all positions of adjustment of the container 10.

In the illustrated embodiment, the top flaps 20a and 20b are adapted tooverlap, and the top panel 20 formed by these flaps is preferably thesame size and shape (i.e., rectangular) as bottom panel 14. It isessential that the distance between the ends of the top panel, i.e., thedistance between hinged lines 30 and 32 be substantially equal to thedistance between the ends of the bottom panel, i.e., the distancebetween hinged lines 26 and 28. It is also essential that the end panels16 and 18 be of substantially the same height and it is preferred thatthey be identical rectangles having the same transverse dimensions asthe bottom and top panels 14 and 20. Thus, when the container is set up,the top, bottom and end panels will form a configuration which ispreferably a parallelepipedon and is necessarily a parallelogram incross section as best illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. By varying theangular disposition of the end panels 16 and 18 with respect to the topand bottom panels 14 and 20, the top and bottom panels 20 and 14 may bemoved toward and away from each other to vary the height of thecontainer 10.

The side panels 22 and 24 serve two functionsfirst, they close the sidesof the container and, secondly, they lock the container in the desiredposition of height adjustment. Side panel 22 is hinged to one side ofbottom panel 14 along a rectilinear hinge line 34, and side panel 24 ishinged to the opposite side and bottom panel 14 along a rectilinearhinge line 36. Side panels 22 and 24 are of greater height than the endpanels 16 and 18 so that the free ends 22a and 22b of these side panelswill extend above and may be folded over the top panel 20 Where they maybe secured in place by suitable means such as an adhesive, gummed tape,binding, or the like.

Between the hinge line 34 and its free end 22a, side panel 22 is scoredto provide a plurality of fold lines which are parallel to each otherand to the hinge line 34. In the illustrated embodiment there are threesuch fold lines 40, 41 and 42. Side panel 24 is similarly scored to formfold lines 44, 45 and 46. These fold lines on the side panels 22 and 24permit various lengths of the side panel to be folded over the top panel20 to lock the top and bottom panels in their desired position ofrelative adjustment. Thus, the container may be set up to its maximumcapacity as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4 wherein the end panels 16 and18 are substantially vertical, positioning the top panel 20 the maximumdistance from bottom panel 14. In this position the side panels 22 and24 are folded along the outermost fold lines 40 and 46, respectively, sothat only the portions exterior of these outermost fold lines are foldedover the top panel 20. When fewer than the maximum number of articles 12are placed in the container, the end panels 16 and 18 may be angularlyshifted to the position illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5. This position ofadjustment is an intermediate position of adjustment and it will benoted that the top panel 20 is disposed nearer to the bottom panel beingsubstantially parallel to each other and to the corresponding ends ofsaid bottom panel, a pair of parallel end panels of a predeterminedfixed substantially equal height, each extending between and beinghingedly connected to a pair of corresponding ends of said top andbottom panels, said top, bottom and end panels defining aparallelepipedon, whereby said end panels may be disposed in variouspositions of angular adjustment with respect to said top and bottompanels to effect a corresponding adjustment in the distance between saidtop and bottom panels, and a pair of side panels hingedly connected tothe opposite sides of said bottom panel, the height of said side panelsbeing greater than that of said end panels, said side panels having aplurality of fold lines spaced varying distances from and disposedparallel to the hinge connection with said bottom panel, whereby aselected length of each of said side panels may be folded over said toppanel to lock said top panel in the desired position of adjustment withrespect to said bottom panel.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said top panel comprises a pair offlaps the combined size of which is at least as large as said bottompanel, each of said top flaps being hinged to a respective end panel.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein the top, bottom and end panels arerectangular.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein said top and bottom panels havesubstantially identical dimensions.

5. The structure of claim 3 wherein the length of said side panels isgreater than the distance between said end panels, whereby the sides ofthe container may be covered in all positions of angular adjustment ofsaid end v panels.

14 than was the case in the position of adjustment illustrated in FIGS.2 and 4. In this case, the side panels 22 and 24 are folded alongintermediate fold lines 41 and 45, respectively, and all portions of theside panels exterior of these fold lines are folded over the top panel20, thus locking this top panel in the desired position of proximity tothe bottom panel 14.

The fold lines may be spaced as desired. In the case of a container forphonograph records the fold lines may be spaced the thickness of arecord so that the container will always exactly conform to the heightof the record stack. Side panels 22 and 24 are preferably longer thanthe bottom panel 14 and shorter than the combined length of the bottompanel 14 and the end panel 18. This assures that the sides of thecontainer will be closed by the side panels in all positions ofadjustment of the contalner.

Thus, it may be seen that a container has been provided, the height ofwhich is adjustable to accommodate articles or stacks of articles ofvarious heights without requiring excessive inner packing. Packing iseasier and less costly, and the inventory of box sizes may be materiallyreduced. The package is neat and relatively light in weight, minimizingshipping costs.

Although the invention has been described with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has beenmade'only by way of example and that many modifications and changes invarious details may be resorted to without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention, as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A container for shipping articles of varying heights, said containercomprising a bottom panel, a top panel, the distance between the ends ofsaid top and bottom panels being substantially equal and the ends ofsaid top panel 6. A flat fiberboard blank for folding into a containerfor shipping articles of varying heights, said blank comprising arectangular bottom panel, a pair of rectangular end panels each havingone end hingedly connected to a respective end of said bottom panel,said end panels be ing of a predetermined, fixed, substantially equalheight which, when said container is folded into a container, form withsaid top and bottom panels an angularly adjustable parallelepipedon, apair of top flaps each having one end hingedly connected to the otherend of a respective one of said end panels, said top flaps being adaptedto overlap thereby forming a top panel having the same dimensions assaid bottom panel when the blank is folded to form the container, and apair of side panels hingedly connected to the opposite sides of saidbottom panel, the height of said side panels being greater than that ofsaid end panels, said side panels having a plurality of fold linesspaced varying distances from and disposed parallel to the hingeconnection with said bottom panel, whereby a selected length of each ofsaid side panels may be folded over said top panel to lock said toppanel in the desired position of adjustment with respectt'o said bottompanel when the blank is folded to form the container. 7. The structureof claim 6 wherein said end panels have the same transverse dimension assaid bottom panel. 8. The structure of claim 5 wherein the portions ofsaid side panels overlap said top panel and are adhesively secured tosaid top panel to lock said top panel and said end panels in the desiredposition of adjustment with respect to said bottom panel.

References Cited DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner

